


Call of the Deep

by Antopops



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Marine Biology, Mermaids, Mutual Pining, Sirens, Slice of Life, Smoking, siren!au, very vague tho, will go into more detail as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:41:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23134105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antopops/pseuds/Antopops
Summary: For the last 10 years, Levi has lived on his own in Sina. Away from his friends, his family, and most importantly, his troubled past. When Kuchel dies and leaves Levi her house in Trost, he makes the cautious decision to move back to his childhood home and make the place that once caused him so much misery his own.Upon arriving, however, he finds himself distracted by a relatively new addition to Trost; Eren Jaeger. The captivating man draws in Levi's attention with every word, every movement, every light touch. Over the course of time, Eren introduces him into a world Levi thought only real in novels and movies.Levi's past and Trost itself is full of secrets unbeknownst to him, all leading back to the ocean surrounding them.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Furlan Church, Oluo Bozado/Petra Ral
Comments: 5
Kudos: 22





	1. Prologue

All around the marine biologists, sonar scanners were blaring to life. Alarms of all sorts were going off in every corner of the office, sending everyone into a frenzied panic as they hurriedly worked to decipher which siren was the more pressing concern. Hanji raced across the room in an attempt to shut down the alarm belonging to an underwater camera as Erwin barked orders left and right. Someone’s coffee mug had long since shattered on the floor in the commotion, leaving a dark stain littered with glass in its wake. No one paid any mind to it, simply stepping over the mess. 

“Find out where it is! I want all eyes on the scanners _now!_ ” Erwin’s no-nonsense tone left little room for interpretation, and every able bodied human was pressed against the sonar controls moments later. Hanji’s assistant Molbit was furiously typing something into a control panel beside him, and moments later the underwater cameras had turned to track the blip on the infrared scanners. It’s speed was otherworldly, causing the camera’s to spasm as they were forced to work in overdrive. 

“It’s too fast Erwin, we need to send a team down to the docks now!” Hanji’s voice was shrill but muffled, her head never turning to directly address the biologist in charge. Her dark eyes glimmered with excitement as they followed the flashing red dot on the screen, heart racing with unprecedented giddiness. After months of tracking the creature’s feeding habits and movements, now it was _here_ , virtually on their doorstep. If they lost track of it now, there was no telling how much longer they would have to wait to so much as catch a _glimpse_ of it, nevermind _catch it_. 

“Nile, you heard her,” came Erwin’s booming voice. “Get your ass down to the pier and raise the nets. We can’t let it escape.” 

Nile’s eyes narrowed in understanding before ordering three of his underlings to follow him outside. Each of them exited the command center with barbed harpoons in hand, wasting no time before the door slammed shut behind them. 

“We’re so close,” Hanji muttered, a crazed smile stretching across her face. “We’ve never been this close before Erwin. If it gets away now we may never see it again. They’re far too intelligent to encroach upon this area a second time if we mess up.” 

Erwin strode forward so his front was mere inches from Hanji’s back, closely observing the screen she had her eyes glued to. The scanners continued to reveal the ever changing location of their target, its speed far greater than anything they had witnessed before. The creature had not left the proximity of the docks, however, which was their only saving grace at the moment. 

“It’s too soon to tell just what this monster will do if allowed to escape. No matter, we have it now. We won’t just let it slip through our fingers with nothing to show for it.” 

Hanji nodded, without even sparing a glance at her boss. Beside the two, Molbit worked to realign the cameras beneath the docks. The underwater light had been turned on alongside the pier lights, allowing a clearer visual of the real time happenings beneath the surface of the water. Erwin turned to watch, the anticipation palpable in the room. Nile’s voice filtered through the walkie-talkie situated on the counter, alerting Erwin to the newly raised net positions. 

“Good, stay where you are and keep an eye out for any movement in the water. And stay away from the edge of the pier, better safe than sorry for now.” 

Well aware of the situation outside, Hanji finally turned her wild eyes to Erwin’s cool blue ones. “We have it,” she stated matter-of-factly. 

“We don’t have anything _yet_ ,” countered Erwin. “Initiate the inward draw of the nets, I don’t want that thing hiding anywhere too far out in the water where we can’t get to it.” 

Behind both Hanji and Erwin, Molbit saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The underwater camera beneath the pier jerked to the side, attempting to track the momentary blur before settling on nothing but empty water. Unconvinced, he continued to watch, eyes unblinking even when they started to sting. Sure enough, a split second later, something big and tinged green zoomed past the camera once again, and the machinery tried and failed to track the creature. The screen beside the original that displayed another camera angle was jerked sharply to the side, and the screen went black. 

“Erwin!” Molbit called, and the massive man was at his side in an instant, eyes on the screen. “We just lost the feed to camera four.” 

“Nile,” Erwin immediately spoke into his walkie, eyes still on the screen. “Tell your men to move further in from the pier. Be ready for anything.” 

There was a grunt on the other end, the only sign that Nile had in fact heard him, but it seemed to suffice for the blonde man in charge. 

As Hanji came up beside the two other men to view the screens, the sight that overtook the camera feed startled all but Erwin. There was no stopping the garbled cry that fell from Hanji’s lips as a webbed, clawed hand came into view of the camera. With one aggressive tug, that screen too, went dark. 

“Tell me the net is drawn in,” Hanji muttered, the horror evident in her voice. Erwin didn’t answer, but Molbit did. 

“It’s got another twenty feet to go before it encompasses the entirety of the pier. Where is Nile? Can he see anything-” 

“Erwin!” the walkie-talkie in his hand blared to life. “It got Jarrod! The fucker jumped out of the water and pulled him under, I can’t see anything out here! Turn on the pier lights!” Nile’s voice was frantic and angry, leaving little room for argument as everyone nearby hurried to check the outdoor controls. 

“The lights are already on, but they’re malfunctioning sir!” came a feminine voice from somewhere behind the trio. 

Someone, presumably a younger employee named Borris, refuted the statement with obvious shock. “Malfunctioning? If they’re on then that’s that! What do you mean-” 

“It’s destroying everything,” Hanji realized with dismay. “The camera’s, the lights… we are completely blind up here.” 

Erwin didn’t wait to consider the legitimacy of the claim, but ordered Nile and his remaining men to return inside and stay as far away from the pier as possible. There was no telling what would happen as the net brought the creature further into civilization. 

“What about Jarrod!? He’s been underwater for way too long. We can’t just leave him in there with that _thing_.” 

“You can and you will,” Erwin stated. “That’s an order. I won’t have anyone else dragged to the bottom of the ocean today, now get your asses inside Nile.” 

With one last curse, Nile’s walkie-talkie channel went dead, and Erwin took that as a sign that the man would be back inside momentarily. The last remaining camera was pointed at the edge of the pier, and the closing net was slowly coming into view. Once the automatic bolts came to hook it into place, Erwin and his team could work on sedating the creature and bringing it underground to the tank prepared there. 

For now, though, they would all have to tread carefully. The tension in the air was so thick, Erwin could have cut it with a knife. 

“Oh my god…” Molbit bit out the statement around clenched teeth, the fear evident in his voice. Cool blue eyes returned to the camera feed, and he saw the culprit of the rising emotion. 

Jarrod’s body slowly sank to the bottom of the pier, a large chunk of his throat now missing. The claw marks that decorated his arms and face were deep and red enough to be clearly seen through the grainy video quality. The blood that seeped from his wounds curled up and around his body as something stirred the current around him. One singular spiked fin, powerfully moved through the water, reeling away from the encroaching net and closer to the docks. Everyone watched with bated breath as Jarrod’s body finally bounced atop the sandy sea bed, unmoving. A split second later, that powerful green tail blurred past the camera one final time, dipping down and then up. The strength in the motion allowed the creature to breach the water’s surface and dive beyond the other side of the net. It’s figure became fainter and fainter, until it disappeared completely from the camera’s view. 

“Dammit!” Erwin roared, unable to stop his powerful fist from crashing on top of the counter. 

Hanji couldn’t take her eyes off the remaining camera feed, nor could Molbit, or any other marine biologist in the room. Everyone was shocked, to say the least. This creature had presented a certain level of intelligence that no one could have come to expect. Taking out their video feeds, eliminating the lights to leave Nile’s group in complete darkness. Even killing one of their own. 

Erwin realized it then and there. This entire time they had been treating this operation as though they were tracking and attempting to catch a mere marine mammal. _Never again_ , he thought. Clearly this monster possessed the brain of a cold, calculated killer. Underestimating it’s abilities was their downfall- _this time_. 

Next time, however, they would be prepared. He would make sure of it.


	2. Coming Home

Levi realized, with only moderate distaste, that very little had really changed about his childhood home. The bright paint that had once decorated the tiny structure was now dull and peeling in certain spots. Wild flowers once planted by his mother now stretched out around the perimeter of the deck, having had more than enough time to bloom and flourish under her loving attention the past ten years. Pinkish sand still covered every inch of ground in front of the house, bleeding into the water that lapped at the edge of the shoreline. 

Not much had changed. But yet, everything had as well. 

Following his mother’s passing two months earlier, Levi had received notice that Kuchel had gone and left everything she owned to him. Including the very house he had gone out of his way to move hundreds of miles away from. The irony in that didn’t escape him, but ten years was a long time to get over the stereotypical distaste he’d held towards his hometown growing up. Instead of opting to sell the place, like he had considered one too many times, he’d done the next best thing; sold his pristine apartment in Sina and moved back to Trost. 

Call it nostalgia, or maybe guilt, but the decision to move back home had a lot to do with the fact that he hadn’t visited his mother once following his departure. After all, she was the main reason he had left to begin with. But even in death she had managed to rope him into returning to the one place that had dogged at his memories for as long as he could remember. 

Shaking off his growing discomfort, Levi started up the small staircase that led up the deck to the front door. He left his suitcase there, not particularly eager to track sand inside within the first five minutes of arriving. With one swift motion that pulled at the edges of muscle memory, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. 

The walls inside had maintained their bright white glow, illuminated more so by the sun setting on the opposite end of the house. Relatively new, sheer curtains billowed in the breeze that drifted through the cracked windows. Petra had mentioned she’d stopped by prior to his arrival to clear out the refrigerator and dispose of the old garbage bags that had remained inside since Kuchel’s passing. It was likely her who had left the windows open to air out the interior. He was grateful for the small measure of kindness. 

The oak wood piano that had once produced soft melodic music every night during his childhood sat untouched in the corner of the living room, surrounded by matching oak wood furniture. The simplicity of the decor reminded him drastically of where he had inherited his minimalistic taste. As he continued through the house, he took in everything around him, sparing no room a once over glance. When he finally reached the master bedroom, he was pleased to discover his mother’s equally minimalist taste had held true in her more private of spaces. There was little to shift around, and little to remind him of his childhood, save for a few photos that hung on the wall. 

His own, youthful face stared back at him in most of them, with his mother situated delicately behind him or with him on her lap. There was only one picture with  _ him _ in it. Kenny. That was the only one Levi took down and stuffed deep in an empty drawer. 

From the front of the house, Levi heard his phone chime to life, and he hurriedly moved back to the front door to retrieve it from within his bag. Petra’s name lit up the screen, and he swiped to answer, then greeted his long time friend. 

“So how was the flight? Hopefully not too draining?” In the background Levi could make out the sound of kids shouting, and Oluo’s equally indignant calls after them. 

“Being around that many filthy people is always draining, but I lived. If barely,” he tacked on the last part as he realized he would most definitely be taking a shower later on. The sooner the better. “Thanks for coming by to clean up the place, by the way. You’d never know it was chock full of trash before today.” 

Petra’s laugh filtered through the phone, sounding more like wind chimes than anything. “No problem at all, seems a tad impractical to leave you to clean the entire place right after getting there. Though I’m certain the house will be sparkling within the week.”

Oluo’s boisterous voice finally caught Petra’s full attention as she muffled the receiver and called out, “Can you keep them quiet for five minutes? Jeez! You’re riling them up even more!” 

Levi didn’t hear the rest of the exchange, as Petra was right back to using her calm tone of voice and the background noise grew distant. “Can’t have any time to myself, it seems,” she muttered. 

“The joy of children,” Levi countered, not at all serious. “Oluo doesn’t strike me as particularly fatherly.”

More laughter reverberated through the ear piece, and Levi tucked the phone between his ear and shoulder as he dusted off any sand from his luggage before hoisting it over the threshold. Closing the door behind him, he made his way into the kitchen as Petra lovingly detailed just how ‘fatherly’ Oluo could be. 

“You wouldn’t peg him as being so caring after his behavior in high school, I will admit. But he’s the one the kids run to first when they want something, and he is in no way immune to the puppy dog eyes they pull.” There was a comfortable silence before she cautiously asked, “What about you? Is there anyone special worth mentioning? Anyone you left behind before coming here?” 

Levi thought briefly on the few flings he had had in his ten year stay in Sina. He had never been an easy person to get along with, romantically or not. Nevermind the fact that finding someone to be with in that way was particularly difficult as a gay man. Though his sexuality had in no way limited the stares and one night stands he’d acquired, there was a deep, nagging feeling that had never gone away the older he got that no one in Sina was worth his time. More than that, he’d lasted this long without being in a serious relationship. And he was fine with that. 

“No, no one like that. That’s always been something relatively low on my list of priorities.” 

Petra hummed in understanding. “Well, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. There is no expiration date on love!” 

The use of the L-word made him cringe inwardly just a bit, but let it roll off his back for now. He shouldn’t be surprised that Petra would talk about something mundane like relationships with him; after all, their conversations over the phone leading up to his return home had been few and far between. 

“So I’m thinking this shack needs a new coat of paint,” he said, effectively switching topics with ease. “The exterior walls look about as sturdy as I could expect, but the chipped paint will drive me insane if I don’t do something about it.” 

Petra caught on quick enough, or she was eager enough to offer to take him to the hardware store. Either way, the remainder of the phone call was spent planning their rendezvous for the following day. They would grab lunch together in town before stopping to pick up paint and anything else Levi would need for patch jobs. Then Petra suggested grocery shopping, so Levi wouldn’t be forced to eat out every night on top of readjusting. 

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you tomorrow, have a good night Petra. Tell Oluo to relax a little before he goes completely grey.” 

“Hah! I definitely will. Sleep well Levi!” 

The line went dead, and Levi was alone once again with his thoughts in his old home. A quick look through the cupboards in the kitchen revealed there was very little to make, even as a snack. He found a few brand new boxes of tea, likely put there by Petra earlier in the day, as well as some saltine crackers and honey. 

Well, he had found his dinner for the night. 

After boiling water and preparing himself a cup of black tea, he graciously covered a handful of the crackers with honey and sat down at the circular oak table. He only briefly realized he was sitting in the same spot he always did when he was younger, then consciously moved so he was instead sitting across from it. Any desire to relive his childhood was snuffed out at that moment. That wasn’t the purpose of his return to Trost. 

Levi polished off his make-shift dinner slowly, taking scalding sips of tea in between each cracker. By the time he was done, he was the furthest thing from tired and opted to situate himself outside on the deck with his pack of cigarettes. Tea in hand, he left the front door open and went about readjusting the giant deck chair so it was facing the shoreline. The sun had long since set behind the house, and the only source of light in the sky was the full moon that reflected off the surface of the water. 

Levi relished the silence of this place; it was the one thing he had always disliked about Sina, how loud it was. All the time, car horns blaring or sirens passing by. Being in an apartment had made any kind of constant noise all the more abundant. He had long forgotten how quiet it was out here, a comfortable distance from Trost’s downtown area. Virtually no cars passed this way, and if they did, it was hard to hear due to the thicket of trees that surrounded the house. He could grow to love this place again, he realized then. In his own way, and in his own time. 

For the remainder of his time outside, Levi alternated between sipping from his mug and taking drags from his cigarette. The sound of the gentle waves lapping at the shoreline kept him company as he got lost in his own thoughts. He thought of Sina, and what he’d left behind. His easy job at the cafe in the middle of the city hadn’t been reason enough to stay. All of his coworkers had been sad to see him go, knowing that the coffee shop would never again reach the level of cleanliness it had when he’d been there. Ms. Robinson, his landlady, was equal degrees of disappointed and happy he was moving on in life. For the most part, there weren’t many connections in Sina that had made his decision to move back to Trost difficult. 

Eventually, the brisk night air couldn’t be fought off by his thin long sleeve alone, and he discarded the end of his cigarette into an empty flower pot at the edge of the deck. With one last look at the water for the night, Levi felt completely at ease despite the history housed in this place. Locking up took no time at all, and after washing his mug and himself quickly but thoroughly, he collapsed in the master bedroom and let the feathered comforter swallow him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize this chapter as well as the first are short (way too short for my liking). However when I initially wrote this story I planned on it being a one-shot so I didn't really label where I wanted chapter breaks. SO I've gone back through the beginning and worked it out this way so it isn't so weird and staggered in terms of the progressing story.   
> Apologies ! But length wise things will pick up speed a from here on out :)   
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated ! Thank you for reading ♡


	3. New Faces

It was only 8 AM when aggressive rapping at Levi’s front door drew him from his blissfully deep sleep. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had an uninterrupted sleep like that, deciding the next second that it had everything to do with the time change. Whoever was at the front door this early in the morning was still there, seemingly punching a hole through the aging wood of the door. 

Begrudgingly, Levi slid the blankets off and haphazardly made the bed before padding down the hall to the door. Opening it a crack revealed a pair of emerald green eyes, which only widened in shock upon seeing him behind the door. 

“Aaah! Petra you weren’t lying!” The hyperactive woman on the other side of the door appeared to grab someone’s arm and shake it. A grin proceeded to stretch across her face and she let go of the other person just as quickly as she had latched on. Immediately after, she threw herself into the door, sending Levi toppling back a step before her ironclad arms were then around _him_. “I can’t believe you would come back home and not tell me! Do you know how angry Farlan is at you right now? Not that angry, otherwise he’d be here to yell at you with me. But still!” 

Isabel Magnolia hadn’t changed a bit. Her once shoulder length red hair had grown out bit since Levi had last seen her, but it was still held back in her two trademark ponytails. Having grown a couple of inches in his time away, she was now the same height as him. The grip she had on Levi lessened, but only so she could pull away from him and stare him down with her virtually sparkling eyes. 

“Isa-” Levi grunted as Isabel pulled him back in for another hug. It was as if she was actually trying to squeeze the life out of him. It took him a minute to fully wrap his head around the situation, and then he wrapped his own arms around his childhood friend. “Isabel, I was going to call you guys eventually.” 

At that, Isabel finally released him and playfully smacked him on the shoulder. “Yeah, _eventually_. Why was Petra privy to this secret return then, hm?”

There was no real malice behind her words, but Levi knew Isabel didn’t say anything if it held no meaning to her. She was definitely bitter about his radio silence, if only a little. Rubbing absentmindedly at the spot she had hit he muttered, “Because I knew Petra wouldn’t run my door down if I told her I was moving back.” 

“Oh don’t give me that! Can you blame me? I haven’t seen you since you gave us all that half assed goodbye, what, nine years ago? Ten? And then you never came back to visit!” 

From behind Isabel came Petra, holding a bouquet of colorful flowers. Her smile was as warm as ever, as well as slightly apologetic. “I ran into her at the flower shop and couldn’t avoid the questions. Sorry for the wake up surprise.” 

She held out the bouquet to him and playfully nudged Isabel, who had the decency to at least look sheepish once she realized Levi had been sleeping up until now. “Whatever,” she muttered to the ground before her smile returned in full force. “I don’t regret it! Besides, I’m too happy you’re back to stay mad. You couldn’t have avoided me for long after all, not in this town.” 

Levi couldn’t help the barest hint of a smile that tugged at his lips. Despite the circumstances, it was nice to see two familiar faces who were more than excited that he was back in Trost. “You’re not wrong, but you don’t have to be such a brat about it.” 

The indignant look that crossed Isabel’s face was cut off by Petra’s own arms that reached out to pull Levi into a more gentle hug of her own. “It’s really good to see you, Levi. I’m sorry about your mom, no matter how… complicated, things were.” 

Levi tensed briefly, then relaxed and returned the hug with his free arm. He gave Petra an awkward pat on the back before she pulled away and gave him a watery smile. She, Isabel, and Farlan had been the only people in his life who were aware of the dicey relationship he had with his immediate family. It wasn’t so bad, having people to talk to about those things when he was younger. Now though, as well meant as the message was, he was too busy trying to bury his past to take it to heart. 

“Thanks,” he managed to say without the word sounding choked. “Well come on in, you’re here so make yourselves at home.” 

Picking up on the change of pace, Isabel adapted quickly and went about looking around the living room. A sharp bark of laughter slipped past her lips as she pointed. “Wow, not much has changed. Same old brick of a TV, huh?” 

Levi only shrugged and made his way into the kitchen, in search of a vase for the flowers. “I imagine it works all the same. Makes no difference to me if it’s a flat screen or a box.” 

Isabel huffed and fell back into the couch, managing to take up more room than humanly possible. “Of course you’d say that… oh, I know! We can go shopping and get you some new decorations. Farlan would probably love to help you turn this place into a formidable man cave.” 

Petra let out a breathy laugh as she helped un-tie the band holding the bouquet together. “I kind of like how the place looks. It’s got character.” 

The small smile Levi shot her way told her just how much he appreciated the comment. Minimalism was key for him. 

“Fine, fine,” Isabel relented, but wouldn’t back down completely. “Well what about paint? Petra said you wanted to repaint the exterior, right?” 

“Oh yeah, it definitely needs it. Place looks decrepit and haunted from the outside.” He elaborated with a smirk, recalling just how squeamish she used to get around all things that went bump in the night. True to memory, the frown that appeared on her face was answer enough. 

“You don’t really think this place is haunted, do you?” Isabel appeared to sink into the couch as she nervously cast a brief look around the room. 

Petra chimed in from the sink, a freshly procured vase filled with water in her hands. “Let’s not get into that now, you’ll just scare yourself more, Bella.”

“That’s a nice way of rephrasing ‘ignorance-is-bliss’ if I do say so myself. But whatever, moving on-” Isabel stood up from the couch and sauntered over to the kitchen counter. “I was thinking we could run to the hardware store, get all the nik-naks you’ll need to patch this place up. And maybe after we can swing by the pub for lunch with Farlan!”

All of that sounded good to Levi, but the mention of a pub caught his attention. Things in Trost rarely ever changed. The town was nothing if not the dictionary definition of ‘classic’. “Are you talking about Monty’s Cafe?” 

Isabel tilted her head to the side, attempting to find the proper way to phrase what she wanted to say. “Well, yes and no. ‘Kasa’s Pub _is_ where Monty’s used to be, but the cafe closed a couple of years ago after the owner died. Apparently his family didn’t want to deal with the trouble of running a restaurant. But ‘Kasa’s is great! They’ve got fresh seafood, fish sandwiches, and virtually every alcohol stocked you can think of.” 

Petra laughed as she walked out into the living room. “Of course you would know that much. How many times a week do you and Farlan camp out there after work?” 

“Often enough to befriend the owner’s of the place! Which is more than you can say, Mrs. ‘Let’s-eat-in-and-save-money’,” Bella shot back, with a playful smirk. 

It was Petra’s turn to frown. “There’s nothing wrong with budgeting. When you have three kids you’ll understand.” 

“Isabel? _Kids_? That’s a bold line of thinking, Petra.” Levi crossed his arms and raised a brow at Bella. 

Green eyes sparkled with an indignant rage. “That’s it! Do you want to go shopping with me or not?” She huffed the question out half-heartedly and resisted the urge to smack him upside his shoulder again. 

Levi shrugged, “Not really, but I will anyway. Give me twenty minutes to shower and get changed. And don’t touch anything, you have as light a touch as a wrecking ball.” 

With that said, he strode out of the room and back to the master bedroom, leaving Petra and Isabel alone in the foyer. 

“Well,” Isabel muttered. “Glad to see he’s hardly changed.” 

Petra shared an uneasy look with the red-head. “Was that sarcasm?” 

“No. I guess I just don’t know what I expected. I thought he’d be taking this whole situation a little less… lightly? But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. He’s never been a big ‘emotions’ kinda guy.”

Petra nodded, turning to stare at the piano. “Give him time. I’m sure this is a lot for him to deal with right now, as much as he may try to make it seem otherwise. We’ll take it one day at a time. Let him get acclimated to living here again. All we can do is be here when he decides to vent about everything.” 

“ _If_ he decides to vent…” Isabel corrected. 

Petra only gave her a sad smile in return. 

***

After Levi had showered and changed, the trio of friends made their way to the hardware store. There was only one in Trost, and it was exactly the same as it had been before Levi had moved. Unsurprisingly. He’d picked out a simple greyish white color for the exterior of the house, as well as a new set of paint brushes and rollers. He could only hope his mother had owned a ladder at some point in order to reach the top of the walls. 

Once all the supplies were acquired, Isabel insisted on stopping by the flower shop to drag Farlan out with them to get lunch. Levi wasn’t against the idea, but he wasn’t particularly keen on making small talk with another one of his childhood friends. He could only hope that Farlan was better at letting the last ten years roll off his back than Bella was. 

When they pulled up in front of _Magnolia and Church Garden Emporium_ , Farlan was already waiting outside dressed to impress. His brown leather jacket framed his broad shoulders nicely, and his loose cut jeans looked worn and comfortable. Whereas Isabel had grown just barely in recent years, Farlan seemed to have sprouted astronomically. He had to be bordering 6’0” at the least, and his easy going smile was still as vibrant as it had been when they were younger. 

Levi stepped out of the car first to greet Farlan, and in return the blonde strode towards him and enveloped him in a casual hug. 

“Long time no see, huh shortstop?” He released Levi in time to see the scowl that took over his features. Farlan laughed and waved the death glare off. “Still a sore spot, eh? I’ll remember that.” 

“Yeah well, at least my head isn’t stuck up in the clouds. You’re a fucking giraffe at this point.” Levi bit out, and Isabel skipped up beside him to nod her head in agreement. 

“You’ve got that right. He thinks he’s all that because he can reach the potted plants on the top shelf. Newsflash bigfoot; you’re not!” 

Farlan had the decency to look moderately offended at the comment. “Bigfoot!? Where the hell do you come up with this crap, Bella?” 

“Children, please, I’m starving and there will be time to poke bruises at the pub.” Petra called from the driver’s seat. Her tone was joking, but her expression spoke volumes. Levi chuckled before climbing back in the passenger seat and buckling up. 

By the time they had reached ‘Kasa’s Pub, it was well past noon and the parking lot was positively packed. Levi didn’t know there were even this many people with cars in Trost. The sight was shocking, to say the least. 

“This place has a bit of a reputation for being top-notch, even by little town standards,” Petra pointed out as though she could read Levi’s mind. 

“True, but that’s only half the reason,” Bella grinned wickedly. “The other half revolves entirely around the owner and his otherworldly good looks. If they stuck his picture on the front window I swear, there would be people flying in from Sina to order a fish sandwich every day.” 

Farlan grumbled something unintelligible from the back seat, but whatever he said went unnoticed by everyone else in the car. Isabel continued to spout praises in regards to ‘Kasa’s Pub and its respective owner, all the while Petra managed to find and maneuver the car into a parking spot. 

“Finger’s crossed we can get a table. I didn’t realize Thursday would be so busy this time of day.” Farlan muttered, mostly to himself. Though Petra hummed in agreement and locked the car over her shoulder. 

“I’m sure Eren will be able to squeeze us in,” Isabel boasted, practically skipping through the lot towards the front doors. “He _loves_ me. There’s no way he’d turn away his most loyal customer.” 

Levi deigned to hold his tongue this time around, unsure of what to think of Isabel’s blatant high opinion of _Eren_. But the Pub in and of itself was nice enough; the exterior was as basic as they came, but the view of the beach just across the street likely played a part in the popularity of the place. The waves lapping at the shore could be heard from the front doors, and a handful of surf boards were propped up against the side of the wall outside. No doubt this place was a favorite for locals who made a habit of hitting up the beach on a regular basis. 

A sudden image from his past assaulted his mind, and Levi briefly remembered the few times he’d been to Monty’s Cafe with his mother. And Kenny. The memory of the old man made him scowl, inwardly, but there was a certain nostalgia to be felt as him and his posse approached the front doors. Once upon a time, he had been here with his _family_. 

There wouldn’t be any more of that in the future. Levi wasn’t sure if that thought made him sad or not. 

As soon as Isabel opened the double doors leading inside, the group was bombarded with the overwhelming smell of seafood and loud music. People were talking over one another left and right, all their voices intermingling into a cacophony of varying tones. The bar itself was massive, taking up the entire left side of the restaurant. A young looking girl with dark, charcoal colored hair made small talk with the patrons sitting at the bar as she mixed a drink at the same time. An intricate tattoo sleeve adorned her right arm, catching Levi’s attention immediately. He had always had a thing for tattoos in general. 

Giant TV screens were put up on every other wall, some portraying the most relevant sport of the month, and others mirroring the same movie. _Pirates of the Caribbean_. 

Interesting. 

Isabel wasted no time in bounding up to the bar and shoving a group of _much_ bigger dudes into one another. She paid them absolutely no mind at all, much to Petra’s dismay. “Mikasa! Hi sweetie!” 

Tattoo girl paused mid shake, only to grin happily at the boisterous red-head spilling over the counter of the bar. “Hey Bella! Long time no see,” her lyrical voice seemed to catch the attention of everyone surrounding her. “Is Farlan with you?” 

Isabel giggled manically, as though there was some untold joke in that question. Levi just watched in wonder as every soul in his group became puddles of liquid at the sound of Mikasa speaking. More than that though, everything she did was performed with a level of grace that captivated his attention. Mixing a cocktail had never looked so effortlessly beautiful before. She then poured it into a thin martini glass and slid it across the countertop, not a drop spilling as it came to stop in front of the patron who had ordered it. 

In one swift motion, she disappeared behind the corner of the bar and emerged from a side door that led into her domain. Isabel pulled away from the countertop, finally giving the entourage of males their previous space back, and enveloped Mikasa in one of her tight, signature ‘Bella-hugs’. 

“It’s good to see you,” Mikasa said, easily returning the hug with fervor. “I wasn’t sure you would be back so soon after drinking you under the table last weekend.” 

Isabel pulled away and snorted, waving nonchalantly. “Yeah right. It takes more than a couple of rum shots to do me in.” 

It was Farlan’s turn to step up to the ladies, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. _Are his ears red?_ Levi noticed with second hand curiosity. “If fifteen rum shots count as a couple, then sure, Bella.” 

“Farlan!” Mikasa easily glided towards him to give him an equally affectionate hug. It was only then did her dark, onyx colored eyes fall on Petra and Levi, awkwardly standing by the front door still. “You guys brought a new friend! I didn’t know you had any of those. And here Eren and I felt so special.”

The mocking teasing didn’t go unnoticed, and whereas Levi would have probably gotten a smack to the shoulder for a comment like that, Isabel just laughed easily. “Yeah well, we figured you could use an extra regular. Guess not though, judging by the crowd in here. What’s up with that?” 

Mikasa only shrugged as she cast a quick glance over her shoulder to the bar area. “I honestly don’t even know. I assume it has something to do with Surfing Nationals being right around the corner, but I can’t pretend to know the holidays in this town yet.” 

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of staring like an idiot and observing Mikasa’s ballet like grace around the bar, she turned her dark, reflective eyes on Levi. Her ivory hand outstretched towards him, “It’s nice to meet you! My name is Mikasa, co-owner here.” 

It took Levi a second to process the introduction, but by the time it caught up to him, he practically snatched her hand to appear competent. “Levi. Mikasa, as in ‘Kasa’s Pub’?” 

Another lyrical and melodic laugh resonated from her lips, and she nodded. “That would be me, yep! My brother knows how to run a successful business but not how to name one. My creativity got us as far as ‘Kasa’s Pub’. But, y’know. It works for the locals, so…” she trailed off, releasing Levi’s cool hand from her own. Chancing a look around, she continued. “Speaking of, I have no clue where he ran off too anyways. He was seating people like thirty minutes ago, and now, poof.” 

“Is it just the two of you working today? What happened to that blonde girl who was behind the bar last week?” Petra inquired politely. The lack of an introduction told Levi that while Petra was all about budgeting, it hadn’t stopped her from coming in enough to converse freely with the _co-owner_. 

“Oh, Annie? She took today off,” Mikasa waved her hand vaguely over her shoulder. “She’s out fishing or something. Who knows. But I can get you guys situated for the time being- it’ll have to be quick though, I’ve got one helluva crowd to deal with over there.” 

“I got it, I got it. You do your thing, Mika.” Another equally musical voice, but deeper, caught everyone’s attention in a split second. It came from behind the group, and when Levi turned around, he was unprepared for the sight before him. 

Possibly the most beautiful man Levi had ever seen was standing in front of him. His damp shirt was clinging to every perfectly sculpted muscle that decorated his torso, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. His salt water soaked hair had dried into an unruly mess, but by God, did it work well for him. Tan, sun-kissed skin enhanced the vibrant color of his eyes, which were an otherworldly teal-blue that Levi swore he had never seen before. Full _kissable_ lips were quirked up into a knowing smirk as he gazed back at Levi, taking in as much of the shorter man as Levi was of him. 

If that wasn’t a bucket of ice water to his brain, Levi didn’t know what was. He averted his gaze to somewhere over the Adonis incarnate’s shoulder, doing his best to mentally will his heart rate to slow down. 

“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting before,” his lyrical voice pulled steely-grey eyes right back to where they were before. There was no amount of willpower that could control Levi’s natural reaction, which was to _stare_ and take in as much of this man’s presence as humanly possible. One big, handsome looking hand came to rest barely a foot away from Levi expectantly. “My name is Eren. And you are?” 

Levi licked his lips before he spoke, in part because he was 90% sure he was drooling, and also because he was suddenly very, _very_ thirsty. The action didn’t go unnoticed by Eren, who was eyeing Levi like he was the most interesting thing to grace planet Earth since sliced bread. “I’m Levi. I just moved back to Trost yesterday.” 

The two shook hands, and the shorter man could have sworn legitimate sparks flew from their conjoined palms the second their skin made contact. He paid it no mind though; Eren had his full, undivided attention. 

“Well, Levi, how about I take you and your friends to the best table in the house? No extra charge, even though you didn’t call to make a reservation.” 

From over beside Mikasa, Farlan furrowed his brow in confusion. “But you guys don’t take reservations…?” 

Isabel didn’t waste a second in elbowing him hard in the ribs. The wheezy gasp that escaped his lips may as well have been muted, for all the attention Eren and Levi gave him. The two were still staring at one another like their lives depended on it. The mutual staredown continued for what seemed like minutes, when in reality it must have only been seconds, before Mikasa cleared her throat and diverted the group’s attention back to her. 

She cocked a brow and fixed Eren with a certain look, then said “I’m assuming you mean table three, Eren?” 

If Eren was bothered by his sister’s interruption, he didn’t show it. Instead he just nodded and finally released Levi’s hand, much to the shorter man’s surprising disappointment. “That’s the one, right this way guys.” 

After snatching up a couple menus and steering the group past the bar, they rounded a corner and wound up seated at the booth directly next to the massive front window. The view of the beach from here was spectacular, and Levi was pleased to discover there weren’t as many patrons in this area. Many seemed to prefer the bar scene over a proper sit down environment. It didn’t seem like anyone cared much about that though. Everyone’s gratification was unanimous. 

Eren handed out the menus, passing Levi’s to him last and sending another enticing gaze in his direction before he turned on his heel and strode back towards the front. The man moved with a purpose and poise that left Levi breathless. 

“Okay, what was that?!” Isabel giddily leaned over the table to get right up in his personal space. Her grin was off putting, to say the least. Virtually all of her teeth were on display, and her eyes were wider than saucers as they pierced through Levi’s comfort level. 

He opted to play stupid, not in the mood to have his childhood friends disect his inner thoughts. “What was what?” 

“You know!” she jerked her thumb over her shoulder back in the direction of Eren. “That! He was totally eating you with his eyes!” 

Farlan choked on his own tongue, or maybe it was a gulp of air that made it down his windpipe aggressively. His own light gray eyes narrowed at Isabel, then widened as they flicked over to Levi. “Is that what that was?”

“Farlan, I love you, but sometimes you can be really dense,” Bella stated matter-of-factly. “ _Obviously_ that’s what it was. Eren is nice, sure, but he’s never _that_ nice.” 

“He was just being polite,” Levi countered, suddenly very interested in his place setting. “It’s not everyday someone moves to Trost of all places.” 

“True, but for you to overlook the blatant truth means you _totally_ agree with me! That sexual tension was palpable, I could have reached out and touched it! And the way he held on to your hand-” 

Petra, ever the intuitive life-saver, spoke up from her seat. “Izzy, I think you made your point. But let’s not make him uncomfortable alright? Maybe Eren really was just being friendly…” 

The way she said the last bit sounded more like she was trying to convince herself rather than the rest of the table group. 

“Mhm…” Isabel muttered in the most non believing way possible. That topic of conversation was far from over but most definitely paused as Eren reappeared, balancing a tray of water glasses for everyone. Once again, he served Levi last and efficiently tucked the tray under his arm as he produced a pad and pen from his back pocket. 

“So I’m assuming the usual for you, Bella?” Eren asked, with a genuine smile playing on his lips. 

She sat forward and splayed her hands on the table, another wicked grin tugging at the corners of her lips. “Make it two today! Levi _has_ to try the grouper sandwich. It’s a fan favorite and the best you’ll find anywhere.” 

“You can stop blowing smoke up his ass any day now,” Farlan said to Bella, prompting a laugh to erupt from Eren. “No offense…” 

Eren only shook his head as he jotted down the order. “None taken. It’s kind of endearing to know we’re held to such high standards by natives. So two grouper sandwiches?” 

He looked to Levi for confirmation, evidently not convinced that Isabel had the go ahead to order for him. Levi appreciated the gesture but shrugged all the same. “What do you recommend? Not to say I don’t trust Isabel’s taste, but she did give me food poisoning when we were kids.” 

“It was one time!” she countered with an indignant huff. 

“It was _at least_ three times, and he’s never let you cook for him ever since,” Petra commented with a coy smirk. Farlan hummed in agreement and did his best to hide his smile with his menu. 

Three against one; a disgruntled Isabel sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. 

“Well I promise not to give you food poisoning, but I would ask that you let me surprise you with the decision.” A perfect set of pearly whites revealed themselves as Levi pondered the offer. Those teal-blue eyes didn’t waver once, as if the other three people at the table weren’t even there. 

“Alright,” Levi relented. His voice surprised himself; he sounded more bashful than he’d ever remembered. “I trust you.” 

Eren’s smile grew at that added statement, and he cast a practiced but lazy wink his way after he collected the menu from him and Isabel. Levi did the best he could to reign in the blush he knew now decorated his cheeks and ears. After Farlan and Petra ordered, Eren vanished into the kitchen and left the quartet of friends to their previous interrogation. 

“He winked at you! I’m _so_ living for this! Please tell me you’re going to ask for his number before we leave? If you don’t then I will!” Even though she lowered her voice, Izzy was practically whispering/screaming the slew of comments. 

Levi wanted nothing more than to bury his head in the sand out on the beach, rather than deal with this. He scowled and ‘tsk’d at the red-head, doing his best to act uninterested in the slew of comments. 

“You’re such a nosy brat,” was all he said in response, prompting another rage filled monologue that only ceased once Farlan tried to shove his napkin in her mouth from across the table. 

He leaned back in his seat and set the napkin down on the table, deciding to fidget with his water straw instead. “You really talk too much Bella. Can’t you just let him be and let it happen naturally?” 

“Or,” Levi started, “Quit insinuating that anything will happen at all? I didn’t realize I was friends with the human personifications of Match.com and eHarmony.” 

“Oh c’mon Levi, you can’t blame them. When is the last time you even seriously dated anyone?” Petra of all people, taking tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber’s side in this conversation? Hell must have frozen over. Or Levi was really, really stubborn about things that were plainly obvious to others. 

“I don’t see why that matters. I’ve never liked dating anyways. Why would I tie myself down to one person for any amount of time?” 

“Riiiight,” droned Farlan. “Because you’re _such_ a playboy. You bag all the hot dudes on the daily.” The sarcasm that dripped from his words was so potent, Levi was ready to reach across the table to smack him. 

“That’s not what I meant. I barely have the ability to take care of myself on a regular basis. Why add another person to that when I know I’ll just fail at making myself emotionally and physically available for them?” 

“Well, I think Eren would happily take care of you for you, _if you know what I mean_.” Isabel muttered with her lips around her own straw. The mock innocence she had plastered on her face did nothing to deter the overwhelming urge Levi had to shove his shoe in her mouth. Farlan was right; she did talk too much. _Way too much._

“I- for fuck’s sake,” Levi couldn’t take another second of this. He swiftly stood up from the booth and made his way to the front door. He heard Petra call his name, the remorse evident in her voice, but he paid her no mind. He just needed some air, to _breath_ away from his overwhelming friends. As he passed the bar, Mikasa caught his eyes for a split second. He looked away just as fast, not at all in the mood to answer the burning questions that were written all over her face. 

The second the front door swung shut behind him, he felt an immense pressure lift off his shoulders. It was so much quieter out here; no sports fanatics yelling at the TV screens, no _Pirates of the Caribbean_ music filling the empty corners of the room. No Isabel, yapping away about shit she hardly understood. 

There was no helping it, Levi fished his cigarettes out of his coat pocket and lit one up. The drag of nicotine immediately calmed his frayed nerves, and he allowed himself to think fully. 

Was Eren attractive? Undeniably. Was he being _more_ than friendly with Levi? It sure as hell seemed like it. But Levi was never one to take that kind of behavior to heart, and he sure as hell wasn’t looking to give Isabel or anyone else the satisfaction of being right in this case. When he’d decided to move back to Trost, the last thing on his mind was hitting it off with someone and developing feelings. 

_What the hell am I thinking?_ He caught himself mid-thought and took another drag from his cigarette. He’d known Eren all of fifteen minutes and he was already thinking of having feelings for the guy? Something was definitely wrong with him. 

Truth be told, Levi had never committed to a serious relationship before because… well, because he sucked at being in a relationship. He was closed off, cold more often than not, and preferred to do his own thing rather than sacrifice his own independence for someone else. And that was probably where the problem was; in his way of thinking. Instead of viewing a relationship as something positive, a chance to share the burdens of life with another person, he saw all the negatives. Someone knowing all his deepest darkest secrets. Someone holding his heart in their hands and having the power to crush his entire being in one swift motion. Someone trying to _change_ who he was to better fit the image of an ideal partner. 

Maybe he was jumping the gun on a lot of that, but the point remained the same, Levi did not view himself as relationship material. It was hard to explain that to his childhood friends. People who had known him since he was in grade school. All of which had grown up with a much different Levi than the one sitting in a pub with them now. He wasn’t the same person anymore, and he never would be. It would never be easy for him to open up to anyone, much less Petra, Isabel, or Farlan, and talk about the shit that went on in his head. After living ten years by himself, he was more used to being silent and bottling up the crap that bugged him. 

Levi worked his way through half of his cigarette as his thoughts coiled him up tighter than a spring. The lapping of the waves on the shoreline did little to calm his mind, seeing as he was barely paying attention to them even though he was staring at them. He didn’t even realize when the front door opened and shut beside him, and a much larger figure took point against the wall to his left. 

Not until Eren cleared his voice, however. 

Levi couldn’t help it, he startled like a cat once he realized he was no longer alone. More than that, he was now alone outside with _Eren_. Isabel was annoying, but she was right about one thing. Eren was a fine looking specimen, and that just made Levi even more nervous to be near him. 

“Your friends told me you were probably out here smoking, I just wanted to check and make sure you were alright.” The genuine concern in his voice took the shorter man by surprise. 

Levi nodded and stuck his cigarette in between his lips, not looking at the man beside him as he spoke. “I’m fine. Isabel is just a lot to handle sometimes. I forgot that I could only ever take her in small doses.” 

Eren laughed at that, his own teal blue eyes trained evenly on the ocean before them. “I get that. I have a few friends I can only describe as really rich, chocolate cake. Those first few bites? Amazing. But the more you eat, the sicker you feel.” 

“That’s a pretty good analogy,” Levi relented, chancing a look at his conversation partner. “Though I’d say Isabel is more of an overused pumpkin spice flavoring that you get sick of after a while and want to avoid ever eating again.”

This time, Eren turned and addressed Levi directly. “Except you wouldn’t ‘never eat her again’, because you care about her too much.” 

Levi snorted and took a long, deep drag off his nearly finished cigarette. “Oh, what faith you have in me. Careful with those expectations.” 

“They’re not expectations, I think they’re more like obvious truths. You said you just moved back here yesterday?” When Levi nodded, Eren pursed his lips and looked back out to the shoreline. “How long were you away?” 

“Ten years,” he uttered, shocked to hear himself say it for the first time out loud. 

“Then there’s your explanation. I bet once upon a time, pumpkin spice was your favorite flavor for everything. Then you moved away and fell in love with… vanilla. But now you’re back, and you get to rediscover why you liked pumpkin spice so much in the first place. It’ll just take a little bit of time.” 

“As nice as it is that you’re cheering me up this way, can we lose the dessert talk? Frankly I hate both of those flavors anyways…” 

An incredulous look crossed Eren’s features as his brilliant eyes zeroed in on Levi. “What’s wrong with vanilla?” 

“It’s just too… fake tasting.” 

“Then what flavored sweet _do_ you like?” 

Levi pondered the question for a moment, taking one final drag from his cigarette before grinding it under his heel. “Anything coffee is fair game. Or strawberry.” 

Eren mused over this discovery for a couple of seconds, before pushing off the wall and brushing some loose sand from his shirt. “Well, if you’re up for it, I would love to take you somewhere sometime to get something sweet. Coffee or strawberry flavored, of course.”

Was Eren… asking him out? The revelation left Levi speechless, and he searched Eren’s eyes for any sign of insincerity. But all he saw was hopeful uncertainty instead. 

Damn Isabel and her intuition. There was no way in high hell he would be telling her about this later. 

“I- sure…” Levi trailed off, inwardly cursing the way his words practically squeaked out. He cleared his throat and did his best to appear confident as he continued, “I’m surprised you didn’t automatically suggest a beach date.” 

The corner of Eren’s mouth quirked up at the word ‘date’, but leveled out quick enough when he asked, “What makes you think I’d want to take you to the beach? Trost is surrounded by water, and I’m sure you of all people know the local beaches.”

All Levi could do to further his implication was gesture at Eren himself. “Well you’ve got the look of someone who lives on the shore. Plus you looked like you were coming back from a swim or something earlier when you showed up in the pub.”

There was a certain look that crossed Eren’s features, but it was gone in a fraction of a second before Levi could properly analyze it. “You could say that. Let’s just say I was virtually raised in the water. I need my daily dose of the ocean breeze to feel normal. But I’ll save that bland routine for a day I’m not on a _date_ with a modelesque stranger.” 

The taller man pushed off the wall after dropping that bomb, and made a show of stretching his hands above his head. Levi was unsure of whether to let his mouth drop open at having been called _modelesque_ or blatantly gape at the sliver of toned, sun kissed skin Eren displayed with his nonchalant action. He didn’t have time to decide, as Eren turned to smirk at him and pull his phone out of his pocket. 

“Would I be crossing a boundary if I asked for your number?” 

Levi recovered hastily, but opted to take his time crushing his cigarette beneath his heel before answering. Silently, he took the offered mobile device and made quick work of plugging his number into the other man’s phone. “Better to have it so you can refrain from ever thinking of me as a _stranger_ again.” 

The subtle tease didn’t escape Eren as he accepted his phone back. There was no missing the coy grin that tugged at the corners of his lips, and his eyes seemed to glow impossibly brighter in that moment. Levi swore he had to be seeing things. 

“Acquaintances, then?” the brunette offered instead. 

Pushing off the wall and gliding past Eren, he slowed momentarily to utter a vague, “For now,” before he slipped back inside to rejoin the unfortunate band of misfits awaiting him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a much longer and fulfilling chapter ! My work hours are pretty irregular and I'm often out late because of it, but I'll do my best to get the next part posted as soon as I can :)  
> And as always, thank you for the comments and kudos !

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for the short length of this chapter ! It's all set up for the rest that has yet to come ~


End file.
